Access to accurate information about reproductive health and maternal care is still far from guaranteed for many women and girls in Kosovo. In rural areas, topics such as family planning, safe motherhood, and where to seek help in cases of abuse are rarely discussed in public spaces or in schools. The lack of clear, accessible information, combined with institutional procedures that are often difficult to navigate, can leave women without the confidence or tools to act when their rights are violated.
In the municipality of Lipjan, the Youth Association for Human Rights (YAHR) decided to address this gap by creating spaces where women could talk openly about their health, understand their rights, and learn how to access institutional support, building on the belief that women themselves can be the most powerful drivers of change in their communities.
Laying the Groundwork Through Dialogue and Community Engagement
The first step was to listen. In July 2023, YAHR met with local leaders, including municipal Gender Equality Officer Hasan Luma, members of the municipal assembly, and Hyre Bytyqi, who leads an informal women’s group in Lipjan. Together, they identified the most pressing challenges women face and explored ways to work together. These conversations laid the groundwork for cooperation, formalised by two memoranda of understanding later that year.
From there, YAHR brought together 20 people from Lipjan’s urban and rural areas – mostly women, but also several men – for a three-day workshop in Rugova. Led by medical expert Dr. Egzona Bytyqi, the training covered reproductive health, safe motherhood, access to quality health care, and the steps to take when rights are violated. Participants learned how to document mistreatment, file formal complaints, and navigate the health care system, while also sharing their own experiences and questions.
The workshop was designed not just to inform, but to prepare participants to share their knowledge. Divided into four small teams, participants chose villages where they would hold follow-up sessions: Smallushë, Janjevë, Babushë i Muhaxherëve, and Qylagë. Over the following months, they returned home and began gathering women in their local communities. In Smallushë, a dozen women discussed maternal health and the importance of regular check-ups, sharing personal stories about pregnancy and recovery. In Babushë i Muhaxherëve, a smaller group spoke about the connection between everyday habits and long-term well-being, while in Qylagë, more than 40 women turned up to talk about the obstacles they face in reaching health care and how they might help one another overcome them.
In Janjevë, 16 women sat down with Dr. Bytyqi, asking questions about reproductive health and learning where to report abuse. Some women shared that they had previously believed you could only get help from the municipality if you knew someone inside it. After the meeting, they understood that there are designated people whose role is to listen to women, and now they know where to find them. “Reproductive and maternal health are rarely discussed in our country. Other important topics include women’s health during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period,” said Fatbardha Hajdari, Coordinator at YAHR. “None of these topics are part of the school curriculum, which is why there is an urgent need to fill this gap.”
Expanding Reach: Linking Communities and Institutions
While the village meetings were underway, YAHR also worked to strengthen the link between communities and institutions. In November 2023, they brought together municipal officials, police officers, assembly members, and civil society representatives for a roundtable on violence and abuse against women. The discussion produced concrete ideas, including securing emergency housing and funding for shelters, as well as partnering with businesses to create job opportunities for survivors. These proposals reflected the concerns women had voiced in the village sessions, ensuring that institutional plans were grounded in the reality of everyday life.
The initiative also reached people beyond those who participated in person. Through a targeted social media campaign, YAHR shared posters on gender equality, breast cancer, and the importance of reporting gender-based violence. The campaign’s reach grew quickly – from just over 200 followers at the start to more than 10,000 by the end – meaning that many women encountered this information for the first time on their own phones.
By the closure of YAHR’s initiative, more than 100 women had participated in awareness sessions, and 20 community members had been trained to lead future discussions. These women left not only with new knowledge, but with a clearer sense of their own agency. One facilitator reflected that she began the process as a learner but grew into a leader. Today, other women in her village turn to her for guidance and support.
From Learning to Lasting Connections
The memoranda of understanding created a framework for sustainable, ongoing cooperation between local women’s groups and municipal institutions. After the project ended, YAHR continued advocacy and lobbying efforts with the mayor and municipal officials. On 29 March 2024, during the 28th meeting of the Lipjan Municipal Assembly, the Local Action Plan on Gender Equality for 2024–2026 was approved following a process in which YAHR played an active role through targeted advocacy. Just weeks later, on 8 May, the Municipal Assembly adopted the Action Plan for Protection from Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women for 2024–2026. YAHR supported the drafting of that plan in close cooperation with the Center for Social Work. At the 31st meeting of the Municipal Assembly, held on 28 June 2024, funds were allocated to the Center for the Protection of Women and Children – the local shelter – to support victims of domestic and gender-based violence, in accordance with recommendations raised during the November roundtable.
YAHR’s initiative shows how one project can spark lasting change, empowering women with knowledge, confidence, and institutional connections, and paving the way for continued advocacy and long-term community impact.
YAHR’s initiative “Health Above All!” was carried out with support from the Kosovo Women’s Network’s (KWN) Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF), financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and co-financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), in the amount of €5,000, from July 2023 to January 2024. The initiative contributed directly to KWN’s Programme “Right to Health” by ensuring that women and girls are aware of their right to health care and how to access it.
